Deck the Halls
by transemacabre
Summary: Post-opera. Graverobber helps Shilo settle back into her home. Semi-fluff.


They'd been in the house three days before they found Repo Man's room. Shilo ran, her hands clasped over her mouth, leaving Graverobber the unenviable task of clearing out the tools of Nathan's trade. It made him queasy to touch the scalpels and the restraining chair, but he got good money for the stuff on the back-alley surgery market. He gave the money to Shilo, so the electricity and water stayed on, and everyone was happy.

Graverobber didn't spend every day at Shilo's house, but he was there often enough that she knew the rhythm of his footsteps as he came and went. Even the way all the food had a slightly burnt flavor when he cooked became comforting to her. Graverobber usually crept in about dawn and fell asleep in a corner of Shilo's room. At first she tried to convince him to stay in Nathan's room or sleep in the bed with her, but he shrugged it off, saying that her floor was nowhere near the worst place he'd ever slept. The truth was Graverobber was creeped out by the thought of sleeping in Nathan's room or touching any of his stuff anymore than was neccesary. As for sleeping with Shilo... the kid was so trusting it was touching.

Shilo asked him to take down some of Marni's holograms for her, which he agreed to with some relief. He didn't like prowling around while her dead mother's eyes followed him from room to room in this morgue of a house. Graverobber got an early start, leaving Shilo peacefully sleeping in her room, and he'd already taken down five when he heard her walking around upstairs. The floorboard squeaks got louder. He looked up to see Shilo standing at the top of the stairs, blinking sleep from her eyes. She smiled at him.

He gestured grandly at the bare wall. "I'm thinking we could paint a giant peace sign on it," Graverobber told her. "Or maybe a mural with the Largos as the Three Wise Men. It is almost Christmas."

Shilo laughed and said, "You're ruining your cred, Your Gothness." She stepped down on the first step, then paused and stared at the banister thoughtfully. "You know, I never slid down this when I was a kid. Dad would've had a heart attack." She ran her hand over the wood.

Graverobber arched a brow at her. "Why not? It's yours. You can do whatever you want."

Shilo giggled softly, then slung a leg over it, balanced herself, and then slid about ten inches. Graverobber laughed, and she glared at him fiercely. "Hey, it's my first time! Cut me some slack." She eased down another few inches, then boldy slid down the entire way. Her feet had barely touched the floor before he snatched her up, tossing her over his shoulder caveman-style. Shilo yelped and playfully thumped his back with her fists as he carried her through the room.

"I'm thinking Amber will be holding the myrrh," Graverobber mused, swinging around so Shilo could see the wall. "I can't imagine her willingly giving up any gold. Or maybe she could be holding a vial of zydrate..."

He could feel Shilo laughing against his shoulder. "Put me down!" she ordered, and when he didn't, she tickled his side. Graverobber involuntarily jumped and turned in circles. "Oh," Shilo said. "Now I know what the great Graverobber's weakness is! He's ticklish!"

Her fingers teased at him again, and he started laughing from the ridiculousness of it all as much as the tickling, him spinning Shilo around her living room, her legs kicking in the air, her fingers ghosting at his side. Neither of them had had nearly enough frivolity in their lives. By the time Graverobber set her on the floor, they were both half-gasping, half-laughing. He went to tickle Shilo's underarm, but she twisted just so, and his hand brushed against an erect nipple.

The sensation went right to his groin. Her cheeks pinked, and she batted him away, still giggling. Graverobber decided to let it go, and was turning from her when Shilo grabbed his arm. "Thanks for helping me," she said. "With the house, I mean. You can stay as long as you'd like. You will stay, right?"

Graverobber had a lot of practice at not planning more than a week or two ahead. The last person he'd become attached to had been a rentboy called Torli who'd shared food with him back when he was a kid and refused to ever let him turn tricks to pay for it. Torli had talked about leaving, living on the beaches off his guitar and not his body. He'd seemed very worldly and brave to a young Graverobber. Of course, Torli had died of a massive OD, so what the fuck did he know. Graverobber knew that one day he'd get slow, or overconfident, and someone would get him. Whether it was a Largo goon or some crazed addict, it didn't really matter. One night, he wouldn't come home, and Shilo would be more alone than ever. "Yeah, kid. Sure. I'll stay." He licked his lips. They suddenly felt very dry.

Shilo laid her head against his chest. She felt very warm, and Graverobber could feel her breasts pressed against him. He gently rubbed her neck with his hand. "I want you to stay," she mumbled. "I feel better when you're around." He was all ready with a pithy reply when she looked up at him, her lips very close to his. He had an impulse to kiss her, but he pulled back, not wanting to scare her. Shilo's hand touched his neck, and she closed the distance between them, the touch of her lips almost imperceptible. Graverobber came after her for more, feeling her skin prickle under his touch as he kissed her, running his hands from the back of her neck to her throat and to her cheeks. Shilo wrapped her arms around his neck, and he took that as an invitation to pick her up and sit her on the kitchen table, pressing between her legs, dripping kisses into her mouth. Her hands tangled in his hair. Shilo smelled so good.

She pulled back, shaking as he kissed her neck. With some effort, he did as well. Her shaking was turning into trembling and Graverobber didn't find that very titilating. "I'm sorry," she said softly, as though afraid he'd be mad at her.

He brushed a thumb against her cheek. "S'okay. You didn't do anything wrong." Graverobber couldn't resist placing a last kiss to her forehead. He chuckled low in his throat. "If anything, you should be mad at me."

Shilo frowned, her lips a pretty round 'o'. "You di-"

He patted her lightly on her leg. "I'll, uh, I'll be back later. If you want me to."

At some point he'd pulled down Shilo's sleeve, and she tugged it back up to her shoulder. "I do. Want you. To, I mean."


End file.
